Sweet Sixteen Cake Topper - Vegan Chocolate Cake

Sweet Sixteen Cake – Vegan Chocolate Cake, I want that cake, cake, cake, cake!

I had to keep my families paws off it just long enough for me to take a couple of pictures so I could share it with you all. This Vegan Chocolate Cake is seriously STUPID GOOD! It is Sweet Sixteen Cake made vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, can be easily made nut free, and was made for a super special someones sweet 16^.

Birthday Boy Fun Facts

Name: Jacob

Birthday: June 4^th (specifically gracing this world at noon EST!)

Height: A whopping 6’6”

Sports: Varsity basketball and track in his sophomore year alone

Position: Plays center in basketball, shot put and disc in track

Dream: To be a pilot and will be taking flight lessons this summer

I love to freestyle it in the kitchen when it comes to cooking, but baking is an entirely different ball game (especially when using gluten-free flours). However, yesterday when I woke up I decided to go for the gusto and not use a recipe as a general guideline this time. I really wasn’t sure if it would be a hit or complete disaster, but you never know until you try. Now this recipe is not as simple as my recipes usually are (I tried to express my inner Martha!), but every now and then an occasion as special as a sweet 16 deserves the extra effort. Now onto the real goods…

Stupid Good Vegan Chocolate Cake

Base

8-9 dates (pitted)

¼ C sunflower seeds

½ C pecans

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the nuts break down into the dates. Take the pan that you are using for the cake (I used a 8in cake pan), and press a layer of saran wrap to cover the bottom of it. Spread the date and nut mixture into the bottom, and then flip onto surface cake will be displayed, remove saran wrap. If you need this to be nut free simply replace the pecans with more sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds.

Cake

½ C + 2 Tbs. coconut flour

½ C rice flour

2 Tbs. arrowroot powder

4 cheggs (1 Chegg = 1 Tbs. ground chia seeds: 3 Tbs. water)

1 very ripe banana (mashed)

2/3 C cacao

½ C raw organic sugar

1 C coconut milk

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Heat the oven to 350°. Grease two 8in cake pans with coconut oil and set aside. Place the ground chia seeds and water in a small bowl, stir, and let sit for 5-10 minutes. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix together until there are no lumps. Distribute the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. I checked mine at 28 minutes and the tooth pick came out clean so I removed it then. Place the two pans on a wire rack to help cool.

Avocado Mouse

2 ripe bananas

1 ½ avocados

¼ C cacao (taste upon mixing and add more if you like)

3 Tbs. maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until all ingredients are well combined.

Optional

One of my layers is mashed raspberries. I used 1 pint of raspberries, mashed them with a fork, added a smidge of maple syrup, and added them in the middle and top layer.

Assemble

On top of the date nut base, place one of the cooled cakes. Next layer a liberal amount of chocolate mouse, and some mashed raspberries. Place the next cake on top of the raspberries. On this layer start with the mashed raspberries followed by the chocolate mouse. If you would like use additional chocolate mouse to cover the sides, but I wanted to see each layer. If you choose this route save the mouse and dip some fresh strawberries in it! Top the cake with whole raspberries or whatever else you choose. Now you have an Amazing Vegan Chocolate Cake!